Packing-receptacle for carboys.



UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

VICTOR VERITY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, ASSIGNOR TO MERRIMAC CHEMICALCOM- PANY, OF BOSTON, MASSACHUSETTS, A CORPORATION OF MASSACHUSETTS.

PACKING-'RECEPTACLE FOR CARBOYS.

Speccaton of Letters Patent.

Patented Aug. e, 1907.

Application filed August 8, 1906. Serial No. 329,651.

folk, and State of Massachusetts, have invented an Improvement inPacking-Receptacles for Carboys or Bottles, of which the followingdescription, in connection with the accompanying drawing, is aspecification, like letters on the drawing representing like parts.

This invention has for its object the production of a novel andefficient packing receptacle for large glass bottles or carboys, wherebythe same may be transported and stored with a minimum risk of breakage.

In the present embodiment of my invention the carboy or bottle issupported in a yielding manner Within an outer crate or box, by simpleand inexpensive means,

so that shocks and jars due to transportation or manipulation of thereceptacle will not damage thecontents.

The receptacle is of light Weight, strong and durable in itsconstruction, and so arranged that the packing of a carboy orbottle isreadily effected.

The various novel features of my invention will be fully described inthe subjoined specification and particularly pointed out in thefollowing claims, one practical `embodimentof my inventionfbeingillustrated in the accompanying drawings and explained in the specification.

Figure I is a vertical sectional view of a packing receptacle embodyingmy invention, taken on the line l-l, Fig. 2, `and with a bottle orcarboy shown in elevation. Fig. 2 is a horizontal section on the line2-2, Fig. l, looking down, the carboy being omitted. Fig. 3 is anenlarged vertical sectional detail on the line33, Fig. 2, the carboybeing partly broken out to show more clearly the bottom supporttherefor. Fig. 4 is 'a top plan view, with the cover removed, of theoutercrate or` box, the yielding members which form the bottom supportfor the carboy being omitted. Fig. 5 is a top plan detail showing theupper ends of the resilient upright members which laterally support thebottle or carboy. Fig. 6 is a perspective detail of a modified form ofseparating or spacing device for the lower ends of the upright members,to be referred to. Fig.v 7 is an enlarged perspective detail of thecontracting and separating device for the upper ends of said uprightmembers.

Referring to the drawings, a stout outer crate or box B, having a solidbottom b as herein shown, and provided with drainage perforations bX,and a circularwall or shoulder b/ is formed on the inner face oi` thebottom.

I have provided the box or crate with oppositely lob3 are broader, andtheir in ner edges nearer together, than the other pair of seats b2, fora purpose to be described. l

Flat, resilient slats or strips c2, of wood or other suitable materialhaving the requisite strength and elasticity combined with reasonablecost, are supported on rthe seats b2, and in Fig, 2 three of suchslatsare shown, 60

arranged in parallelism and laterally separated, the outercorners of thetwo outside slats being beveled at 4, to it the side ofthe crate. Asimilar set oi slats c3 are supported on the seats b3, and -the outercorners of the outside slats are similarly beveled, at 5, the slats cpassring beneath the set or series c2. A bearing block b4 is fixed onthe crate bottom at the center there-of, to support the crossed slatswhen they have become permanently bent by age or long standing in flexedor bent condition. The two crossed series of slats form a yield ing orresilient vertical sup portfor the bottle or carboy C, Figs. l and 3,the bottom thereof resting on the slats at four symmetrically-locatedplanes, equidistant from each other.

The bottoms of large bottles and carboys are usually made concave, asshown in Fig. 3, so that the bearing portion is circular and near theouter circumference.

By making the seats b2 of thc upper series of slats c2 farther apart theweight is brought upon the slatsat a greater distance from the seats,than will be the case with the slats c3, so that when the carboy isplaced in the crate the bending of the two sets of slats c2 cS-will bedifferent. That is, the upper set or series will bend the more easily,so that an equal portion of the weight of the load will be sustained bythe slats c3, a very .springy, resilient support being provided, whichwill take up and absorb shock and jar due to vertical movements of thecrate and contents in transiter when being moved around.

As shown in Fig. 2 the bottom slats are separated by equal spaces, andthe cage-like lateral support or inclosure for the carboy coperates withthe bottom slats in a mutual positioning function.

Before describing the lateral support, attention is Called to separatorsd, preferably made of metal straps, bent into substantially the shapeshown in Figs. 2 and 4, and secured to the annular shoulder b/ bysuitable iastenings df. I have shown four of the separators, arrangedbetween the corner seats for the bottom slats, the spacing provided forby each separator being equal l0() to that between the bottom slats.

The carboy is laterally sustained or supported yieldingly by a cage madeup of a series of thin, preferably flat upright members f, which inpractice are staves or slats of wood or other resilient and suitableflexible ma- 10 5 terial. Four of the staves are spaced near their lowerends by the bottom slats c2, and four more by the slats c3, as will beclear from anginspection of Fig. 2, each upright member f being ofthe`proper width to pass between two bottom slats, the ends of themembers f resting on the crate bottom b within and against the shoulderb.

The carboy or bottle is placed in the outer crate or box upon theyielding support described, and the upright members or slats f at thecorners may be positioned before or after the carboy is in position. Nowadditional upright members f are inserted, filling the segmentalportions around the carboy, each separator d spacing several of themembers f while one of such members is positioned between each end of aseparator and the nearest of the cross-slats, as will be manifest froman inspection of Fig. 2.

The diameter of the shoulder b/ is somewhat less than the externaldiameter of the carboy along a line 10 near its bottom, see Figs. l and3, so that the slats or members f, by engaging the carboy substantiallyalong such line, will be forced outward as far as the limits of thecrate will permit. The upper'ends of the upright members f are nowbrought inward toward each other and embraced by a contracting andspacing device, which in practice is conveniently a ring g oi heavywire, bent to present a series of inturned projections g/ equidistantfrom each other. The slats f are laterally separated at their upper endsby the projections or bends g/, as shown in Fig. 5, and are drawntogether by the ring g as it is forced downward causing the members orslats f to be bent or flexed longitudinally and to engage the carboy ator nearits shoulder, as at 12.

Oarboys and large glass bottles are made thick at the bottom and near itup along the sides, and also at the shoulder portion, but in between theglass is much thinner, and this is also true of the neck above theshoulder.

When the slats f are bent or flexed longitudinally each one will be inholding engagement with the carboy1 at two points, clearly shown in Fig.3, and those points of engagement are where the glass is strongest andbest adapted to stand any strain.

The packing receptacle has a removable top or cover BX, Figs. 1 and 3,provided with an opening bofor the neck of the carboy, and of suchdiameter that even if the receptacle be tipped or upturned the neck willnot suddenly hit the cover.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 3 the upper ends of the members f approach theinner surface of the cover, but not engaging it, and an annular ledgebf2 is made on the inside of the cover to rest upon the contracting andseparating device g and prevent movement thereof toward the adjacentends of the slats f.

From the foregoing description, in connection with the drawings, it willbe manifest that the bottle or car boy is inclosed and laterallysupported by a yielding cage, `composed of a series of upright resilientslats or staves, held at or near their upper and lower ends in suchmanner that they are bent or flexed longitudinally and engage the carboynear the bottom and shoulder thereof.

The mode of packing and sustaining the carboy is light, strong anddurable, and very elastic, taking up shock and jar while maintaining afirm hold on the carboy, so firm in fact that upon complete overturningof the receptacle, to empty the contents of the carboy, the latter willstill be held by the cage and cannot drop onto the cover BX.

In practice the slats are made reversible, so that if any one or morebecome set by long usage or strain, they can be reversed and bent orflexed in the opposite direction, thereby renewing their elasticity andresiliency.

An open outer crate B is herein illustrated, and for many purposes itwill be found amply sufficient to properly protect the contents of thereceptacle, but such an open crate can be made a closed box, to allintents, by inserting thin boards between the cage members f and theinner sides of the crate. ASuch a board is shown at H, Fig. l., it beingcut to the proper dimensions, preferably, to obviate nailing, and ispushed down into place before the cover B is applied, four of suchboards being required. The board tends to flatten the adjacent member ormembers f, as shown in Fig. 1, but the hold of the members on the carboyor bottle is not thereby decreased or rendered less secure. By makingthe boards readily removable the repacking of a carboy is moreconveniently accomplished. Such boards afford some protection in case ofaccidentand breakage of glass, confining-the broken pieces within thecrate and also fending off blows from timbers or the corners of packingboxes, etc. which might pass through the open sides of the crate and jamagainst the nearer of the cage members f.

Instead of making the bottom separators d of strap metal they may bemade of wire, similarly to the annulus or hoop g, such a modificationbeing shown in Fig. 6. A piece of wire m is bent to present therequisite number of projections m, to separate the slats, and the endsof the wire are bent back at m2, 'and then toward each other at m3. Themain part, having the projections mf, is placed on the top and at theedge of the annular shoulder b on the crate bottom, and the ends m3 aresecured by suitable fastenings, such as double pointed nails or staples,holding the main part of the separator in proper position on theshoulder.

My invention is not restricted to the precise construction andarrangement herein shown, as various modifications may be made by thoseskilled in the art without departing from the spirit and scope of myinvention.

Having described my invention, what I claim as new and desire to secureby Letters Patent is 1. In a packing receptacle, an outer rectangularcrate or box, corner seats on the bottom thereof, a spring supportcarried by the seats, to yieldingly sustain the carboy vertically, and aseries of upright resilient members circularly arranged close togetherand bent outward longitudinally in a continuous curve from end to end,means to engage and hold said members from lateral and outward movementat their upper and lower ends, the inner concave faces of the saidmembers beingy adapted to engage the carboy adjacent the breast andbottom thereof and yieldingly sustain the same laterally and a removablecover for the crate, having an annular ledge on its inner side,surrounding the upper ends of the resilient members, and resting uponthe means for preventing lateral and outward movement of the upper endsof said members.

2. In a packing receptacle, an outer crate or box, means within it toengage and yieldingly support the bottom of a carboy at a plurality ofequidistant points, resilient, upright side-supporting members sustainedat their lower ends Within the crate, said members surrounding thecarboy, a removable annular' spacing and contracting device to engageand draw inward the upper ends 'of said members, and a cover for thecrate, apertured to receive the neck of the carboy and adapted when inplace to hold the said spacing and contracting device in properposition.

3. `In a packing receptacle7 a rectangular outer crate or box, cornerseats on the bottom thereof, two series of re silient slats supported ondiagonally opposite pairs of seats and crossing each other, the seatsfor the uppermost series of slats being farther apart than the seats forthe lowermost series of slats, upright resilient slats resting; at theirlower ends on the crate bottom, some of the slats being interposedbetween .the bottom slats, to maintain lateral separation thereof7 meansto separate the upright slats between the seats, and an annularcontracting and separating device to embrace and draw inward the upperends ol the upright slats. A

4. In a packing receptacle, a rectangular outer crate or box, a circularshoulder on the bottom thereof, means mounted on the crate to verticallyand yieldingly support a carboy, a cage within the crate comprising aseries of upright resilient members resting on the crate bottom againstthe circular shoulder, means to maintain the lower ends of said membersfrom lateral movement, an annular contractor and separator to embraceand draw inward the upper ends of said members, and a movable cratecover adapted to engage and hold the separator and contractor in properposition, the upright members inclosing the carboy and engaging the sameadjacent the bottom and shoulder of the carboy, laterally and yieldinglysupporting it and preventing sudden engagement thereof with the cratecover when the crate is inverted.

In testimony whereof, I have signed my name to this vspeciiication, inthe presence of two subscribing Witnesses.

VICTOR VERITY.

Witnesses 1 JOHN C. EDWARDS, MARGARET A. FmaNnY.

